Rouhani Re-elected by Strong Margin as Iranian President

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has scored a solid re-election victory with 57% of the vote to 38% by his nearest competitor. When Rouhani succeeded the buffoonish Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he was described as launching a “charm offensive” that set-up the controversial nuclear deal with Western nations negotiated by Secretary of State John Kerry and the Obama administration. The deal was as unpopular among Iranian hard-liners as it was among conservative Americans. But neither presidential candidate Donald Trump’s vows to “tear it up” nor Iranian critics’ promises have come to fruition. The turnout, at 73%, was also considered to be strong. With Trump wavering on his campaign promises and just having certified to Congress that Iran is in compliance with the deal, it is notable that the first to congratulate Rouhani were Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.